How To Lose Upper Belly Fat At Home

If you are wondering how to lose your upper belly fat, you are not alone. This condition is called central obesity in medical terms, and it affects both women and men as they become older. Obesity rates are highest between ages of 50 and 70 (1).

The visceral adipose tissue (VAT) surrounding the intra-abdominal organs is more commonly known as upper belly fat. Upper belly obesity is caused by genetics, poor eating habits, and an unhealthy lifestyle. For reducing upper abdominal fat, spot reduction is not a long-term solution. Instead, exercise, a balanced diet, and lifestyle modifications are the only ways to reduce it in a healthy way. Scroll down for more information.

Steps To Reduce Upper Belly Fat

Weight loss from the upper abdomen requires a holistic approach – exercise, healthy diet, and focus on lifestyle changes. Before starting this process, calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) to know your status better.

1. Exercises To Lose Upper Body Fat

These exercises do not focus on spot reduction but help strengthen your core, aid inch loss, and tone your body.

a. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

This is an excellent exercise for the entire body. It is not only effective for weight management and preventing obesity, but it also improves your cardiorespiratory health (2). Anita Bokepalli, a YouTuber, took up the challenge to perform 108 Surya Namaskars a day for 30 days and found it to be an energizing experience that improved her productivity. After 30 days, she recorded the results thus: “I ended up losing 3 inches on the waist, 4 inches on the hips, and 6 kgs body weight (i).”

There are 12 poses in Sun Salutation.

Target: Whole body

Steps

1. Stand at the end of the mat, keeping your feet together and your spine straight. Puff your chest out and roll your shoulders to relax them.
2. Breathe in, lift your hands to your sides, and join your palms in front of your chest in a prayer pose while exhaling.
3. Inhale, lift your arms, and stretch them back completely. Make sure that your biceps touch your ears.
4. Exhale and bend forward from the waist while keeping your spine straight. Try to touch your head to your knees and place both palms on the ground beside your feet. Try to keep your knees straight.
5. Breathe out and push your right leg back as far as possible, touching your knee to the floor. Bend your head back and lookup. Your left leg should be between your palms, folding at the knee and perpendicular to the floor.
6. Breathe in and push your left leg back and align your whole body.
7. Slowly press your knees together, breathe out, push your hips back slightly, and rest your chin and chest on the floor.
8. Slide forward until your chest and chin are up in a cobra pose and your elbows are bent. Your shoulders should be away from your ears. Hold this posture for 5 seconds.
9. Breathe out and lift your hips and tailbone up to form an inverted-V position. Both your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should be straight. Try to look at your navel while in this position.
10. Breathe in and pull your right leg between your palms. Your left leg should be touching the floor. Keep your hips down and lookup.
11. Bring your left leg between your palms. Your palms should be touching the floor and your head should be at your knees.
12. Breathe in, pull your hands up, and bend backward. Push your hips out a bit.
13. Breathe out and bring down your arms. Straighten your body and relax and feel the stretch in all parts of your body.

b. Plank Hold

Abdominal planks aid in fat burning and tone your abdominal muscles.

Target: Upper belly, thighs, and arms.

Steps

1. Lie down on your stomach with your knees bent and feet on the ground.
2. Bend your elbows and place your forearms on the ground. Align your elbows with your shoulders.
3. Align your feet with your hips.
4. Tighten your core and glute muscles. Lift your abs and hips off the ground. They should be aligned with your shoulders.
5. Flex your hips forward and hold this position for 30 seconds.
6. Practice these 3 rounds with 30 seconds of hold.

c. Bicycle Crunches

via GIPHY

Target: Abdomen, hips, and obliques.

Steps

1. Lie down on your back. Relax your entire body.
2. Place your hands behind your head. Interlock them just above your neck.
3. Bend both the knees and bring them close to your belly.
4. Lift your shoulders and head. Straighten your left leg and bring your left elbow close to your right knee. Bring your left leg back to your belly.
5. Simultaneously, straighten your right leg and bring your right elbow close to your left knee. Bring your right knee back to your belly. This completes one set
6. Do 2 sets of 20 reps each.

Quick Tip

If you are not able to make your elbows touch your knees, go only as far as you can. Do not strain or pull your head forward. It may cause muscle injuries.

d. Russian Twist

Target: Core, obliques, and spine.

Steps

1. Sit on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
2. Tighten your core, lean back, and lift both your legs at a 45° angle with the floor while bending the knees slightly.
3. Lift your hands in the front and slowly twist your upper body to one side. Your legs should be fixed at the 45° angle.
4. Twist to the other side. You can cross your ankles to maintain your balance. This completes one rep.
5. Do 3 sets of 12 reps each.

Quick Tip

While doing Russian twists, focus on breathing steadily. Exhale when you rotate, and inhale when you return to the center to stretch the intercostal muscles for better results.

e. Leg Raise

Target: Abdomen and core.

Steps

1. Lie down on your back.
2. Place both your hands – palms facing down – on the ground beside your body. Your legs should be straight.
3. Lift both your legs straight towards the ceiling until your butt comes off the floor. You can support your butt by placing your palms beneath it.
4. Lower your legs slowly but do not touch the ground completely.
5. Do 3 sets of 20 reps each.

You can also try other exercises like mountain climbers and sit-ups to lose abdominal and upper belly fat.

Apart from these exercises, try adding a few cardio workouts to your routine. They include activities, such as running, cycling, swimming, and brisk walking. These exercises elevate your heart rate and boost calorie expenditure, which triggers the body to tap into its fat stores, including fat in the abdominal area. Cardio workouts not only trim your waistline but also enhance your overall health by reducing the risk of chronic diseases (3).

However, remember that consistency is key. You need to commit to regular cardio sessions that add up to at least 150 minutes per week to yield noticeable results. Make sure to pair these exercises with a healthy and balanced diet for best results.

2. Eat Your Way To A Slimmer You

Diet is also a major factor that can help you get back in shape. A proper diet can go a long way in keeping you slim and healthy. Eat frequently, but consume smaller meals rather than eating large meals and burdening your digestive system.

A study conducted at the Medical University Vienna on 20 obese women proved that following a calorie-deficit diet along with aerobic exercises can reduce body fat (4).

Jesse Feder, RDN, says, “In order to create a caloric deficit, I highly recommend you make changes in both your diet and activity level. I would start off by making a very simple diet change of reducing the portion sizes of your meals. This is typically the easiest change to make for people since they can eat the same foods but just less of them throughout the day.”

Here are some changes you can make in your diet to lose upper belly bulge:

• Include protein-rich foods in every meal. Your snacks should be rich in good-quality protein to curb binging.
• Replace grains with whole grains at least 1-2 times a day.
• Include healthy fats in your diet, like nuts, seeds, and clarified butter.
• Bulk up on fiber-rich foods and have 1-2 servings of fruits on a daily basis.
• Replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods that are healthy and energize your body.
• Avoid oily and junk food like chips, baked products, cookies, and sweets. Replace them with salads made of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Reduce salt intake.
• Water is the best beverage. Instead of reaching for aerated sodas or energy drinks, drink plain water. Water cleanses your body and flushes out all the toxins, keeping you slim and hydrated.
• Practice portion control to lose weight and eat a healthy diet.

3. Change Your Lifestyle

When it comes to reducing upper belly fat and managing your weight, a few lifestyle changes can go a long way in making a difference.

According to Jesse Feder, RDN, “Increasing your daily activity level can burn extra calories and help get you into that caloric deficit. I always recommend to my clients/patients to go on daily 30-45 minute walks. Unfortunately, you cannot specifically target which area you lose fat from. Everyone loses fat from different areas first. You will still notice a difference and be able to lose that upper belly fat if you stay consistent with these changes.”

Here are a few changes that you can incorporate:

a. Cope With Stress: Stress leads to cravings for salt and sugar. A study on rats proved that fatty foods (lard) reduce stress by regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses (5). This explains the aforementioned cravings and the weight gain they lead to.

Learning stress management and how to deal with anxiety can cut off these triggers and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat foods that are rich in tryptophan like chicken, soya bean, nuts, bananas. Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin (a feel-good hormone). Thus, eating tryptophan-rich foods can help improve your mood (6).

You can also practice deep breathing exercises, meditate, and walk for 30 minutes daily to cut back your stress.

b. Sleep At Least 7 Hours In A Day

Peaceful sleep is an important modulator of metabolism and neuroendocrine function. Inadequate sleep has been found to be associated with increased hunger, appetite, and craving for calorie-dense, high-carbohydrate content food (7). Hence, aim to sleep at least 7 hours a day.

Upper belly fat is not only unhealthy but can also affect your self-image and mental health. If you are wondering what causes upper belly fat, check out the next section.

Causes Of Upper Abdominal Weight Gain

There could be multiple reasons for putting on weight in the upper belly region. The most common causes are:

• Unhealthy eating habits
• A sedentary lifestyle with no physical exercise
• Lack of sleep and bad sleep quality
• Leading a stressful lifestyle that affects your physical and mental health
• Advancing age with a slow metabolic rate

Infographic: Boat Pose To Lose Upper Belly Fat

The boat pose is a seated asana and one of the best ways to strengthen your core. It works great on the abdominal muscles and deep hip flexors as well. Raising the legs kicks the abdominal muscles into action and strengthens them by burning belly fat. Check out the infographic below to learn how to perform the boat pose to lose upper belly fat.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my upper stomach bigger than my lower stomach?

Upper belly fat is usually the result of the accumulation of visceral fat around your abdomen area. Stress, unhealthy lifestyle, and lack of sleep make your upper stomach bigger than your lower stomach.

What is the best exercise for the upper abdomen?

There is no particular exercise for spot reduction. To reduce your upper abdomen, you need to focus on whole-body and core exercises like sun salutations, plank holds, bicycle crunches, side crunches, and twist crunches. You can also focus on cardio exercises to lose belly fat.

Why is my upper belly so big and hard?

If your stomach feels big and hard often, it could be due to gas, a food intolerance, or inflammatory bowel disease.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Learn how to lose upper belly fat at home with the 4 simple exercises shown in this video! Get fit and healthy in the comfort of your own home. Watch now to get started.

Was this article helpful?

The following two tabs change content below.

• Reviewer
• Expert
• Author
• Editor
• Fact-checker

Madhu SharmaRD

Madhu Sharma is a member of the National Executive Committee of IDA. She has been associated for almost three decades with Pediatric Nutrition at PGI while serving in the Gastroenterology Department (20 years) and then the Advanced Pediatric Center (10 yrs) at PGIMER, Chandigarh. She is former Senior Dietitian from PGIMER, Chandigarh, retired in 2012.   Madhu has been closely...more

• Jesse FederRDN/LDN

  Jesse Feder, RDN/LDN, is a Clinical Dietitian at the Memorial Regional Hospital. He is also a certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer (ACSM-CPT) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS).
  
  Jesse Feder, RDN/LDN, is a Clinical Dietitian at the Memorial Regional Hospital. He is also a certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer (ACSM-CPT) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS).

Tanya ChoudharyHealth & Wellness Writer

Tanya is an ISSA certified Specialist in Fitness & Nutrition. She specializes in writing articles on ingredients that benefit skin, hair, and health. She believes in the right health and lifestyle practices and strives to promote the same to everyone around her. She finds purpose in creating authentic and useful content that can impact people's health in better ways. In...more

Arshiya SyedaSenior Editor

Arshiya Syeda is a senior editor at StyleCraze with 7 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care. She holds a bachelor's degree in literature and psychology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a post-graduate diploma in psychological...more

Moksha GandhiHealth & Wellness Writer

Moksha is a health and wellness writer and a certified diet and nutrition coach. Her passion for science and writing has helped her excel in crafting evidence-based articles. Her previous experience in writing science-based research papers ensures that her articles are grounded in research and provide practical tips that are reader-focused. Moksha graduated from Mumbai University and was a key...more